Skip loading and weighing apparatus



July 16, 1963 J. w. CLARK 3,097,711

SKIP LOADINGAND WEIGHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTO Ne-.Y

July 16, 1963 J. w. CLARK 3,097,711

SKIP LOADING AND WEIGHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 9, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2F'IGLB r a A INVENTGR JAMES W. CLARK WwW/MQ ATTORNEY July 16, 1963 FiledNov. 9, 1959 J. W. CLARK SKIP LOADING AND WEIGHING APPARATUS 3Sheets-Sheec BYu F.Z

A-r-roanev United States Patent O 3,097,711 S111? LADENG AND WEIGHENGAPPARATUS laines W. Ciarlt, liron Mountain, Mich., assigner to LaheShore, inc., iron Mountain, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Nov.9, 1959, Ser. No. 851,594 3 Claims. (Cl. 177-106) This invention relatesto loading apparatus and particularly to apparatus for loading a ski-p.

It is an object of this invention to provide la relatively lsimple anddurable loading apparatus which will discharge a given weight of ore orother material at each dump.

Another object is to provide an improved dumping door apparatus having atoggle `actuating mechanism which acts to lock the door in the closedposition against the weight of the material in the bin and `at the sametime is adapted when actuated to rapidly open the doo-r and smoothlydump the contents into a skip or other receptacle with a minimum ofspillage.

The objects of this invention are achieved by apparatus including lastorage bin having a discharge opening in the bottom portion thereof to`which the content-s will flow by gravity. A dumping door is movablymounted at the discharge opening and adapted to open and close saidopening as it is actuated from one position to another. A suitableloading means such as a conveyor is provided for loading the storageIbin and a door actuating means, such as a pneumatic cylinder, isprovided for actuating the door from one position to another. TheIstorage bin is mounted for vertical movement and is supported on acompressible n weight sensitive means which is actuated by theincreasing weight of the storage bin as it is loaded. The weightsensitive means is :adapted to stop the loading means and energize thepneumatic cylinder to open the door and dump the bin when the contentsof the bin reach a given weight.

The dumping door is actuated by a pneumatic cylinder land `a toggleactu-ating mechanism which includes a link member pivotally connectedbetween the cylinder and the door and a pair of rigid arms pivotallyconnected between the link member and the side of the bin. The arms aremounted so that with the door in its fully closed position the pivotpoint between the link `and door will lie above (on the door closingside) of an imaginary lineV drawn between the pivot points of one 4ofthe rigid arms. With this arrangement the arms cooperate with the linkto hold the door tightly in a closed position against the weight of thematerial in the bin with no forces acting on the parts tending to movethem in the door opening direction. The door is pivotally mounted alongthe upper edge of the discharge opening so that the load being dumpedwill aid in opening the door and thereby substantially reduce theycylinder size and air required for actuation of the toggle mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent fromthe specication and claims, as will obvious modifications of the twoembodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a side elevation of a loading apparatus embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. l with a partof the dumping door broken away;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken .along line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detailed View of the weight sensing load transducer used inthe loading apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation (with parts broken away) of ICC `a loadingapparatus showing a modification of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 with a partof the dumping door broken away.

Referring to the drawings, the loading apparatus of this inventioncomprises a loading bin or pocket 10 which communicates with a skip 12through an enclosed chute 14. In a mine installation for example, pocket10 and chute 14 are installed in a concrete reinforced cavity 15 at thejunction of a mine lateral and a vertical mine shaft in which skip 12 ishoisted and lowered on a wire rope 16.

The ore mined from the lateral is `dumped into the open top of pocket 10by any suitable means such as a conveyor 18, as shown, or by dumpingfrom cars or another `bin through power actuated gates. Pocket 10 has abottom 19 which slopes to discharge opening 20` leading into chute 14.The slope of bottom 19 of the pocket is made substantially the same asthe slope of chute 14 so that ore will flow smoothly from the pocketthnough the chute and into the skip. Flow from pocket 10 throughdischarge opening 20 is controlled by a `dumping door 22 plvotallymounted on opposite sides of pocket :10 by means of stub lshafts 24 asshown in FIG. 3.

Pocket 10 is slidably mounted for vertical movement by means of angles26 (with ywear plates 28) mounted in cavity 15 at each corner of theupper end of the pocket (FIG. 4) which cooperate with angles 30 (withwear plates 31) welded to the pocket to guide its vertical movement. Apair of-guide members 33 (FIG. 2) mounted at the lower end of the pocketserve to guide its vertical movement in this area. The weight of thepocket and its contents is supported by a load transducer 32 mounteddirectly beneath the pocket 'as shown in FIG. l.

As .shown in detail in FIG. 5, transduced 32 includes a bearing plate 34which receives the load through a pair of I-beams 36 fastened to thepocket 4and resting on the plate. The load is supported by acompressible C-shaped member 38 `housed in a casing 40. The load istransmitted to member 38 by means of a plunger 42 tted in a cavity 44 inthe bottom of plate 34 and a ball 46 seated in sockets formed in thebottom of the plunger and the top of member 33. Plunger 42 is mounted ina flexible diaphragm 4S fastened to the top of casing 40 to seal theparts inside the casing.

` Thus, as pocket 10 is loaded by any suitable means suoh as a conveyor18 as shown the pocket will move ldownwandly compressing member 38 asthe weight eX- erted on the transducer is increased. When the weight ofthe pocket contents reaches a given amount, a precision switch 52mounted on the top portion of C-mem ber 38 will tbe closed by astationary stop 54 mounted on the bottom portion thereof. The closing ofswitch 52 can be arranged to stop conveyor 1S and energize a dooractuating pneumatic cylinder 56 if a trip switch (not shown) located inthe shaft has been actuated to sense Jche presence of a skip at the endof chute 14. Cylinder 56 is pivotally mounted on the front of pocket 10by a pin 59, as shown, and has a piston (not shown) with a connectingrod `61 pivotally connected to door 22. Thus, when cylinder S6 isenergized, door 22 will be swung [from )the solid line to the dottedline positions shown in FIG. 1 to thereby dump the ore in pocket 10through opening 20 and chute `14 into skip 12.

As the pocket is dumped, the inherent resiliency of C-member 38 willraise the emptly pocket causing switch 52 to open. This, in turn, willdeenergize cylinder 56 allowing door 22 to close by gravity. Conveyorl18 or other loading apparatus is again started to initiate the loadingoperation as skip 12 is being hoisted to the head frame tor dumping.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a modification of the invention wherein a togglemechanism S of novel design is utilized to open and close a dumping door60 pivotally mounted along the upper edge or a discharge opening `62 ofthe loading `bin 64 by means of a rod 65. Toggle mechanism 53 isactuated to open and close door 6% by means of a pneumatic cylinder 66having a piston rod 72. Cylinder -66 is pivotally mounted on the `frontof bin 64 -by means of a bracket `67 and a pin 68. Mechanism 58 includesa link member 70 pivotally connected between brackets 74 Afastened tothe underside of door 60 and the end of piston rod 72. Link member 70bas a pair of arms 76 pivotally connecte-d to brackets 74 by pins 78 anda pair of arms 80 pivotally connected to the end of piston `rod '72 by apin 82.

To impart an outward swinging motion to link 70 (and door 60) whencylinder 66 is energized, a pair of rigid arms 84 are provided. Arms 84are pivotally mounted a-t .one end on the sides of bin 64 by pins 86 andat the other end to link '70 by pins 88. The iixed pivot points 86 ofarms 84 are positioned so that when door 60 is in its fully closedposition (as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 6 and 7) the pivots 78between link 70 and door 60 will lie above (on the door closing side) ofan imaginary line 90 drawn between `fixed pivot points 86 (between arms84 and bin 64) and pivot points 88 (between the arms and link 70). Thus,it is seen that with door 60 in its fully closed position the forcecomponent (due to the weight 4oi the material in lthe bin) acting topivot link 70 about pivots y88 is in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIG. `6. This force component is eifectively resisted by rigidarms 84 which cooperate with link 70 in the closed position to hold door60 tightly in its closed position with no forces acting on the partstending to move them inthe door opening direction.

To open door 60 and dump the contents of bin 64, cylinder 66 isenergized to retract piston rod 72 upwardly into the cylinder. As theparts move from the closed position (solid lines, FIG. 6) to the openposition (dotted lines, FIG. 6), mechanism 58 acts to very slowly opendoor 60 in its initial movement and thereafter very rapidly open thedoor in the later stages of the dumping action. This quick openingaction, whereby the load being dumped aids in opening the door, reducesstresses on the pants and substantially reduces the cylinder size andair required for actuation .of the mechanism.

An enclosed chute 92 is provided to carry the material from the bin intoa skip or other receptacle. Chute 92 is cut back as at 94 at its upperend to provide clearance for the movement of toggle mechanism 58, anddoor 60 is provided with vertical side skirts 96 which cooperate withthe sides of chute 92 in the open position to prevent spillage over thesides of the chute.

Although two embodiments of the present invention ihave been illustratedand described, it will be apparent to .those skilled in the art thatvarious changes and modilfcations of the invention may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for discharging the contents of a storage bin into a skipin a mine when -the contents reach a given weight, comprising, a bin, adischarge opening in the bottom portion of said bin through which thecontents vvill W :by gravity, a dumping door pivotally mounted along theupper edge of said discharge opening and adapted to open and close saidopening as it is actuated from ione position to another, actuating meansincluding a pneumatic cylinder and a toggle mechanism for actuating saiddoor, said pneumatic cylinder pivotally mounted on the iront of said binabove said dumping door, mounting means on the sides of said bin `toprovide lateral support to said 'bin and lto permit its verticalmovement, and Weight sensitive means supported and mounted centrallybelow said bin, said means being responsive to and resisting `thevertical movement of said bin as it is being loaded and adapted toenengize said door actuating means to open said door and dump said binwhen the contents of said bin reach the given weight.

2. Apparatus according to claim l in which said toggle mechanismincludes a link member pivotally connected to Ithe front lof said doorand extending forwardly trom said door when said door is closed forpivotal connection to said pneumatic cylinder, and a Irigid armpivotally mounted at a xed point on said bin to the rear of said door,and pivotally connected to said link near the end of the link which ispivotally connected to said pneumatic cylinder, said iixed pivotalmounting point for said rigid arm located so that when said door is inits bully closed position said pivotal connection between said door andsaid link will lie on the door closing side of an imaginary line drawnbetween said xed mounting point and the pivotal connection between saidarm and said link.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said weight sensitive meansincludes a compressible C-shaped member on which said bin is supported,the two ends of which are forced together as said bin is loaded, acasing housing the said C-shaped member, and a diaphragm means sealinglche C-shaped member within said casing and transmitting the verticalmovement of said bin.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,094,904 Hughes Apr. 28, 1914 1,937,232 Kuehlin-g Nov. 28, 19331,970,291 Everhard Aug. 14, 1934 2,373,838 Lindholm Apr. 17, 19452,801,035 Hertrioh July 30, 1957 2,890,013 Schieser lune 9, 19592,930,227 Spademan et al. Mar. 29, 1960

1. APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING THE CONTENTS OF A STORAGE BIN INTO A SKIPIN A MINE WHEN THE CONTENTS REACH A GIVEN WEIGHT, COMPRISING, A BIN, ADISCHARGE OPENING IN THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID BIN THROUGH WHICH THECONTENTS WILL FLOW BY GRAVITY, A DUMPING DOOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ALONGTHE UPPER EDGE OF SAID DISCHARGE OPENING AND ADAPTED TO OPEN AND CLOSESAID OPENING AS IT IS ACTUATED FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER, ACTUATINGMEANS INCLUDING A PNEUMATIC CYLINDER AND A TOGGLE MECHANISM FORACTUATING SAID DOOR, SADI PNEUMATIC CYLINDER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THEFRONT OF SAID BIN ABOVE SAID DUMPING DOOR, MOUNTING MEANS ON THE SIDESOF SAID BIN TO PROVIDE LATERAL SUPPORT TO SAID BIN AND TO PERMIT ITSVERTICAL MOVEMENT, AND WEIGHT SENSITIVE MEANS SUPPORTED AND MOUNTEDCENTRALLY BELOW SAID BIN, SAID MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO AND RESISTINGTHE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID BIN AS IT IS BEING LOADED AND ADAPTED TOENERGIZE SAID DOOR ACTUATING MEANS TO OPEN SAID DOOR AND DUMP SAID BINWHEN THE CONTENTS OF SAID BIN REACH THE GIVEN WEIGHT.